[Expedition] The Outer Rim Station Tour

July 1st - July 29th 3304
Meetups at 23:00 Galmap time for western hemisphere, 17:00 for eastern hemisphere

Welcome to the first exploration expedition focused on the far-flung inhabited stations, the Outer Rim Station tour!

This expedition is planned as a station and nebula tour, intended to introduce and make better known some of the furthest outposts of humanity. Commanders are invited to fly their smaller explorer ships (The stations could get their large pads clogged up, if everyone is in a conda) and to master their camera controls, since thanks to the nebulae there will be many photo opportunities!

The organizer Lance 'Spacecat' D. (Who will be hosting an expedition for his very first time, bear with him) will be flying his Type-6e to set the tone, and has prepared a tour document which you are invited to read here: https://tinyurl.com/y9kcmb5k

-The pace of the expedition will be moderately quick with 2-3 waypoints per week. But the distances are relatively short.
-For the social aspect, I invite folks to join the Fleetcomm private group and discord server. (We'll strive to meet around 23:00 GMT at each waypoint)
-Take the time to read the tour document, the waypoints through Barnard's loop are difficult due to permit-locked sectors.
-During the expedition, let's put our best pictures on the forums, the finest ones I will add to the tour document.

Question for you guys: I'm thinking of making photography challenges a part of this expedition.

For instance, for the Witch head I'd challenge folks (in the tour document) to 'Show us a picture with barnacles'. For the Orion nebula, I'm thinking a photocontest with the theme of 'Fire in the sky' (lots of red nebulae around here, and orion is beautiful).

Do you guys think that's a good idea? Aye or nay?
And wasn't there a really good post somewhere how to improve screenshots/photos? Stuff like following the rule of three, I need to find that post again...

By the way, the Q2 update (Beyond Chapter 2) launches on the same day as the expedition.

At a minimum I'll probably want to fit the FSD Booster before going anywhere. The good news is that since the expedition circles around the bubble pretty closely, it shouldn't be too hard to detour back when needed. I also need to decide on which ship before then. Probably the T6 or the AspX.

Sorry for the lack of updates, and the lack of map. I'm in Small Worlds 3 myself (and trying to not steal their thunder on the forums) plus some stuff RL. So was planning to rework the document and maybe do a map this weekend or the next.

And -groan-, the Q2 update launches at the same time, just my luck...
Hrrrm, do you guys think I should delay the expedition a day or three?

Sorry for the lack of updates, and the lack of map. I'm in Small Worlds 3 myself (and trying to not steal their thunder on the forums) plus some stuff RL. So was planning to rework the document and maybe do a map this weekend or the next.

And -groan-, the Q2 update launches at the same time, just my luck...
Hrrrm, do you guys think I should delay the expedition a day or three?

Why? There will be nothing for explorers as usual. Maybe 2 days so everyone can equip a FSD Booster?